BELGRADE — Nearly 25,000 acres have burned in the Palisades Fire in southern California, and assistance from across the country has come together to fight the flames, including here in Montana.
On Monday, Central Valley firefighters returned from L.A.
Captain Jeff Royce of the Central Valley Fire District reflects with his crew after returning from Los Angeles, where they were helping fight the fires.
“I’ve been fighting fires since 2009, and I have never seen devastation like I did down in Pacific Palisades,” Royce says.
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Multiple crews from across Montana went to California to aid local firefighters.
“We traveled down with ten engines total in Montana, two command rigs, and two mechanics,” Royce says.
Photos reveal the total loss, the damage, and what remains of Pacific Palisades:
“Everybody saw what they had going on and how big of fires there were close together, all pulling from the same resource. Naturally, as firefighters, we are fixers. When we see an opportunity to help, that's what we want to do,” Royce says.
Captain Royce says there is only one way to describe the L.A. fires.
“Devastating is the most accurate statement for that area. We were in the community of the Pacific Palisades for a few days, and it is heartbreaking what occurred there,” Royce says.
WATCH related coverage: Missoula firefighters to battle Los Angeles-area fires:
As Captain Royce reflects on the last two weeks, he says no community is immune to fires, especially in Montana.
“We can take back lessons learned from how they responded and what they did to try and help bring those fires under control, help with repopulation of citizens, and kind of start that recovery and rebuild process,” Royce says.
The Palisades Fire was 94% contained as of 7 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 27.
